Abbey...

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Race Across the Sky, Week 10.

Ok, ok, so I'm a couple day's late. No excuse, just somewhat busy the last couple of days. And with that, another good week. Though I wanted to cut it short of the 70 milers I put in the last couple of weeks. Just didn't feel it was time to keep any streaks going other than the one I have for consecutive days which now stands at about seventy something! WooHoo...

After so many years of saying "I want to do that" Abbey and I made our way up to Frisco CO for the 42nd annual Frisco Gold Rush which has both snow shoeing and cross country skiing. That, and a lecture by a local historian, author on some of the facts of mining of an era gone bye. Pretty cool to combine a couple of my favorite subjects on one day!

Now, while I have been in the back country plenty of time with snow shoes, I've never raced in them! however, how difficult can it be right? just like running but with wider shoes. And with that, they lined us up at 5:00 p.m. and off we went and OMG, it had been a while since I'd raced at 9000' and felt it right from the get go! Everything hurts at that altitude. But, I also knew that once I got going and backed it off a bit I would be ok. The first couple of guys just bolted from the gun. Obviously locals and that was fine as I had no idea of the course other than to "follow the pink flags" that were out there. Well, needless to say, about a 1/4 or so in even the two leaders made a wrong turn which when we discovered the mistake had to back track which meant what distance we put on the rest (I was in 3rd at the time) we gave back. Once back on track, trail, it was the two locals that just bolted away and that was fine by me as it gave me a reference point so to speak. Needless to say, I was still hurting big time due to the altitude, at which point, one other person caught up to me. Now, I could have kept him somewhat behind me as the trail was narrow but waved him by first chance and decided I'd ride his coat tails to the finish and get him there. Well, needless to say, again, local knowledge beat me to the finish!! 4th overall, 2nd in age group. Hey, I'll take it! and thank God it was only a 5k!!

I contemplated doing the cross country (ski) the following day but choose to get my long run in up there and watch the sunrise over lake Dillon. Truly a million dollar run!! Week total: 62

RunStrong,

~Eddie

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